Manhole closure



March 18 1924. 1,487,518

.5 B. N|cHoL s ET AL MANHOLE CLOSURE Filed'June 12 1922 N ENTORJ. marBIA aka fibizzardfimwlzlm z'rA TTORNEY.

- ing it to the underside of the Patented Flier, '18,

nears ears tame EDGAR B. NICHOLS AND HOMER C. BROWNLEE, OF ROCHESTER,NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO THE PFAUDLEE COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK. A.CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MANHOLE CLOSURE.

Application filed June 12, 1922. Serial No. 567,528.

To (HZ whom it may concern:

Be it known. that we, EDGAR B. NICHOLS and House C. BnowNLnE, ofRochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Manhole Closures; and we dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and to the reference numerals markedthereon.

Our present invention relates to improve-- ments in closures formanholes or apertures in containers, tanks or other apparatus, and isparticularly adapted for use on those in which the aperture is in thetop of the. container whereby when the cover or plate is released fromthe securing device it may be either automatically raised a sufficientdistance above the aperture to clear the walls thereof and then-swunglaterally to permit free access to the aperture for any purpose desired,or its weight may be at least partially counterbalanced so that it maybe manipulated without undue efiort.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a tank or container showing indotted lines the closure swung to one side of the opening.

Figure 2 a vertical sectional view showing the supporting lever andbracket in elevation;

Figure 3 a sectional view on the line a;-;r, and

Figure 4 a rear elevation of the lever support.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

The tank or container to which our invention is shown applied, may be ofany suitable -construction, but is preferably constructed of metalhaving a manhole aperture 2 with an outwardly extending flange 3surroundingit. 4 indicates the cover plate preferably downwardly bulgedat' the center and provided at its under side with a packing gasket 5.The upper surface of the cover is dished, provided with thestrengthening ribs 6 and the centrally arranged perforated lugs 7 At oneside of the opening is provided a bracket or frame 8 securely fastenedto the top of the container, preferabl by weldange, this bracket beingprovided with a vertically extending aperture through which extends apintle 9 secured to or forming-part of a yoke 10 having the ears 11 andcarrying a 'to prevent the pintle from readily turning in the support.

The lever 13 has its rear end bifurcated and perforated for the passageof the pintle 12 and bet-ween the lugs thus formed and encircling saidpintle is arranged a spring 15, one end-of which engages the yoke andthe other an adjustable belt or stop 16 on the lever, secured inadjusted position by a lock nut 16. The free end of the lever 13 isslotted at 17 y to receive a locking bolt 18 pivoted at 19 and providedwith a clamping nut 20 so that when the lever and closure plate are inposition over the manhole the bolt 18 may be swung up into the slot andby tightening the nut theplate and packing are held tightly in cont-actwith the container top. The cover plate 4: being pivoted to the leverwill readily find its proper seat. When the nut 20 is loosened the boltmay be turned down to release the lever.

The tension of the spring 15 may be adjusted by moving the stop 16 andpreferably the lifting force exerted is suficient to a little more thancompensate for the weight of the plate and lever so that when releasedfrom the bolt 18 the lower part of the cover plate will be above thesides of the manhole opening and may be immediately swung to one side topermit access to it. To close the cover it needs only to be swung overthe opening and suficient pressure exerted to overcome the tension ofthe spring and then the bolt secured,

Although capable of general use for closing apertures of any kind, thisconstruction is found to be admirably adapted for tanks or containershaving the aperture in the upper side to facilitate access to theinterior of the container as the weight of the cover is counterbalanced,and the spring may be adjusted for and the closure applied to covers ofdifierent sizes and weights.

. for securing the lever when the plate is in closed position.

2. The combination with a container having a manhole, of a closure forsaid manhole comprising an operating and clamping lever swiveled on thecontainer at one side of the opening and adapted to swing transverselyand axially of the latter, a cover plate pivoted on the lever, a springfor operating the lever to remove theclosure plate from the manhole, andmeans for securing the free end of the lever.

33. The combination with a container having a manhole, of a closure forsaid manhole comprising a support pivoted on the container to turnlaterally of the manhole, a lever pivoted on the yoke to turn at rightangles to the pivot of the latter, a cover plate pivoted at its centerto the lever, a spring arranged between the support and lever forturning the latter on its pivot and means for securing the free end ofthe lever.

4. The combination with a container having a manhole, of a closure forsaid manhole comprising a support pivoted on the container at one sideof the opening and adapted to swing transversely of the latter, a leverpivoted on the yoke to swing toward and from the opening,'a springconnection between the yoke and lever to turn the latter. on its pivot,a cover plate pivoted at its center to the lever, and means for securingthe free end of the lever on the side of the opening opposite the pivot.

5. The combination with a container havcomprising a yoke pivoted on thecontainer at one side of the openin a lever pivoted on a pin extendingbetween the arms of the yoke to swing at right angles to the pivot ofthe latter, a spring on the pivot pin of the lever engaging the leverand support, a cover plate pivoted on the lever and means for securingthe free end of the lever.

6. The combination with a container having a vertically opening manhole,ot' a closure for said manhole comprising a support pivoted at one sideof the manhole to swing laterally thereof, a lever pivoted upon thesupport on a horizontal pivot, a cover plate pivoted at its center tothe lover, a spring between the lever and support for raising the lever,and means for securing the free end of the lever.

EDGAR B. NICHOLS. HOMER o. BROWNLEE.

' ing a manhole, of a closure for said manhole t

